Orders From Xemnas
by unfortunateSalmon
Summary: AU where the Superior sends Demyx on a mission to eliminate one of the Organization's members. WARNING: Slight gore at the end.


Demyx's footsteps fell heavy on the white floor of the castle as he lumbered through the ever-empty hallways, not paying attention to where he was going. He did this often, to relax and gather his thoughts. His mind was often scattered, and because of this words come out jumbled or not how he meant. The other members thought he was stupid, but really he just didn't think before he spoke. Demyx wanted to prove to them, especially Xigbar who constantly teased him, that he was intelligent.

So here he was, taking his morning stroll through the deafeningly silent corridors.

"Demyx. Demyx!" a loud, commanding voice ripped through his train of thought. Looking up from wherever his eyes had been (his boots? It didn't matter, he wasn't paying attention) with a jump, his eyes landed on sky blue hair, cruel golden eyes, and a nasty scowl.

Demyx sighed. Seeing Saix always made his day significantly less enjoyable.

"Yeah?" he asked, slightly annoyed at being interrupted but trying hard not to show it. A fight with Saix is a fight he wouldn't win, and he knew it.

Saix glared at the blond. "Pay attention to you surroundings, IX," he warned. "I called your name several times to no response."

"Sorry, man. I was thinking."

"Yes, well I can see why that could require so much concentration from you. The Superior wants to see you. He has an important mission he needs you to take care of."

Demyx groaned. "Now?"

"_Now_, IX."

"All right, all right. Don't get your panties in a knot," the blonde grumbled under his breath as he opened a dark portal to the meeting room. Saix's long ears heard it of course, and Demyx could feel his golden eyes burning into his back even after the portal had closed.

As the last wisps of darkness faded around him, Demyx looked up at his Superior from his slightly lower chair. Number I, Xemnas, leader of Organization XIII. The silver haired man looked down at him with disdain.

"You wanted to see me?" Demyx asked when Xemnas said nothing upon his arrival.

"Yes," was the old mans reply. "There is a certain Organization member that needs to be taken care of. His un-cooperation has gone on long enough, and has increased within the last few months due to our two newest arrivals."

Demyx stared up at him, unable to mask his astonishment. "You don't mean…?"

Xemnas' orange eyes stared coldly down at him. "Kingdom Hearts cannot be completed without efficient work from every Organization member. One has strayed. Nothing will stand in the way of Kingdom Hearts. Is that perfectly understood, IX?"

"Yes, Sir." Thoughts in Demyx's head were whirring around at a million miles per hour.

"If Axel isn't a Dusk by the end of the week, I'll be sending Saix out for the both of you. That is all."

With that, Demyx disappeared to his room. Immediately laying on his hard bed, he folded his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Did they ever pick the wrong guy for this one," he sighed.

The deep red hues of the sunset lit Twilight Town in its last moments of daylight as Axel sat on the ledge where he, Roxas and Xion met every day for sea salt ice cream. Roxas and Xion were nowhere to be seen, however. Axel didn't think anything of it, just idly licked the melting treat and assumed they were still on missions. It didn't taste the same without them.

Axel glanced down and to his surprise, saw a hooded Organization member standing in the area in front of the train station. Though they were looking up at him, the hood still covered the Nobody's features. The figure was tall, thin and familiar, but still from a distance, without the face and with everyone in matching coats, it was difficult to tell who it was.

Axel warped down to the ground, leaving his half- finished ice cream on the ledge.

"Hey, Xig! Is that you? Why the hood, man?" Axel grinned.

Demyx stood still, head bowed, taking slow breaths.

"Xig?" Axel asked. He stepped forward, hand reaching out to pull back the hood of his friend.

"I'm so sorry, Axel." Demyx mumbled. Axel's hand stopped inches from Demyx's head in confusion. That was all it took, that one moment of hesitation gave Demyx the upper hand. Summoning his sitar before Axel had his name past his lips, Demyx landed a blow to the middle of the redhead's chest. Axel flew backwards, back hitting the ground with a thud as the air rushed out of his lungs. Demyx pulled back his hood, summoning nine pillars of water to surround them in a circle.

Axel quickly regained his breath, standing and summoning his chakrams. For a moment they simply stared at each other. Finally, Axel chuckled.

"The old man sent you to take me out, huh? What a bummer."

"You know it's nothing personal, Ax. I'm sure Vexen's Dusk is out there having a real laugh, though." Demyx gave a small smile as he gripped his sitar tightly.

This time Axel gave a hearty laugh. "Yeah, I bet he is. I'm real sorry things had to be like this, man. I like you, I don't wanna fight."

If Demyx were anyone else, he would have pointed out that it was impossible. Impossible for him to have liked anyone, impossible for him to feel the way he did about Roxas, impossible for him to be feeling _anything._

Demyx said nothing.

"Guess you gotta do what you gotta do, eh Dem?" With a resigned sigh, Axel twirled his chakrams.

The fight began.

Axel made the first move, but Demyx was ready for it. He blocked Axel's fireball with ease, sending water shooting through it for Axel and leaving hot steam in its wake. Axel moved out of the way, but not quickly enough. Scalding water hit his shoulder and he groaned, but didn't slow down. Spurt after spurt of flames were sent Demyx's way, and each time met their demise before hitting their target.

The downfall to many of Demyx's attacks was that he couldn't control the temperature of the water. If it passed through Axel's flame it grew hot, otherwise it was room temperature. Maybe he would work on mastering such a skill in the future, should he live through this fight, he thought to himself. Suddenly he felt and heard his flesh and coat sizzle as Axel aimed a fireball at his chest while he wasn't concentrating. Demyx cursed himself for losing focus and simultaneously doused himself and Axel with water. Clutching a ball of water to the exposed skin right below his left collarbone, he felt the water cool the wound slightly.

Soaked and tired of using the same useless attacks on the water element, Axel narrowed his gaze. Time for phase two. With a grunt, Axel sent his chakram flying straight for Demyx's neck. It hit its target, well, sort of. The real Demyx stood behind Axel, taking this time to heal himself. The water clone spilled to the ground to form a puddle where Demyx had been standing. Axel groaned with frustration, whirling around just in time to see the blonde strum a deafeningly loud chord with the words "Dance, Water, Dance!" barely audible beneath them. Dozens of water clones appeared around them, immediately making for Axel. He frantically shot fire at each in turn, but only succeeded in creating steam and increasing the heat of the water attacking him. He resorted to slashing at them with his chakrams, but while this was effective, it also wore him out much quicker.

While this was happening, Demyx stayed at a safe distance. Every now and then he would create a ball of water inside Axel's throat, cutting off his air as if he were drowning. Demyx never held it there for long though. It was a move he hated using. It felt dirty, like he was cheating somehow.

Blow after blow landed until, as if in slow motion, Axel dropped to his knees, chakrams disappearing. Demyx called off the water clones and watched him warily. He was almost finished. Head bowed, breathing heavily, Axel coughed once and looked up at Demyx. His green eyes seemed to give permission. Demyx walked toward him slowly, warily.

When Axel spoke, his voice was hoarse and low, almost a whisper.

"He made me feel… like I had a heart…"

Demyx swallowed the knot in his throat with difficulty. "I know, Ax. I know," he said, lifting his sitar.

The repeating sound of Axel's skull cracking haunted Demyx's dreams for days after.

When Roxas showed up at the usual spot atop the tower, he was disappointed to see that Axel wasn't there. Instead, there was just a puddle of warm, melted ice cream surrounding a Popsicle stick with the word "WINNER" printed on the side.


End file.
